diff --git a/ChangeLog b/ChangeLog
index a50603a443..8f7e190d27 100644
--- a/ChangeLog
+++ b/ChangeLog
@@ -1,3 +1,8 @@
+2004-02-18  Thomas Vander Stichele  <thomas at apestaart dot org>
+
+	* gst-libs/gst/play/play.c: (gst_play_pipeline_setup):
+          break up _link so we can give a better debug message for errors
+
 2004-02-18  Thomas Vander Stichele  <thomas at apestaart dot org>
 
 	* ext/gdk_pixbuf/gstgdkpixbuf.c: (plugin_init):
diff --git a/gst-libs/gst/play/play.c b/gst-libs/gst/play/play.c
index dfa73fd988..e507acb7e5 100644
--- a/gst-libs/gst/play/play.c
+++ b/gst-libs/gst/play/play.c
@@ -282,10 +282,19 @@ gst_play_pipeline_setup (GstPlay *play, GError **error)
   
   gst_bin_add_many (GST_BIN (video_thread), video_queue, video_switch, video_cs,
                     video_balance, balance_cs, video_scaler, video_sink, NULL);
-  if (!gst_element_link_many (video_queue, video_switch, video_cs,
-                              video_balance, balance_cs, video_scaler,
-                              video_sink, NULL))
-    GST_PLAY_ERROR_RETURN (error, "Could not link video output thread elements");
+  /* break down linking so we can figure out what might be failing */
+  if (!gst_element_link (video_queue, video_switch))
+    GST_PLAY_ERROR_RETURN (error, "Could not link video output thread (queue and switch)");
+  if (!gst_element_link (video_switch, video_cs))
+    GST_PLAY_ERROR_RETURN (error, "Could not link video output thread (switch and cs)");
+  if (!gst_element_link (video_cs, video_balance))
+    GST_PLAY_ERROR_RETURN (error, "Could not link video output thread (cs and balance)");
+  if (!gst_element_link (video_balance, balance_cs))
+    GST_PLAY_ERROR_RETURN (error, "Could not link video output thread (balance and balance_cs)");
+  if (!gst_element_link (balance_cs, video_scaler))
+    GST_PLAY_ERROR_RETURN (error, "Could not link video output thread (balance_cs and scaler)");
+  if (!gst_element_link (video_scaler, video_sink))
+    GST_PLAY_ERROR_RETURN (error, "Could not link video output thread (balance_cs and scaler)");
   gst_element_add_ghost_pad (video_thread,
                              gst_element_get_pad (video_queue, "sink"),
                              "sink");